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Tamarix aphylla
Also called Athel Pine, Atheltree, Desert Tamarix, Salt Cedar, Saltcedar, Tamarisk, Tamarix
Athel tamarisk is a large evergreen tree, up to about 18 m tall, that grows in arid regions and along watercourses. It is very tolerant of drought, salty and alkaline soils, so it suits dry sites with poor soil.
The athel tamarisk (Tamarix aphylla), also known as the athel tree or simply athel (Arabic: أثل, ʔaṯl), is the largest known species of Tamarix, with heights up to 18 metres (59 ft). It is an evergreen flowering tree, native across North, East, and Central Africa, through the Middle East, and into parts of Western and Southern Asia.
2,6-Digalloyl glucose and 3,6-digalloyl glucose are gallotannins which are found in the galls of T. aphylla.
Tamarix aphylla is found along watercourses in arid areas. It is very resistant to saline and alkaline soils. Its range extends from latitude 35°N to 0°N, and its W–E range extends from Morocco and Algeria in North Africa, eastwards to Egypt, and south to the Horn of Africa and into Kenya. It is found in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula, east through Iran, and into Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.
Tamarix aphylla has been used as a windbreak and shade tree in agriculture and horticulture for decades, especially in dryer regions such as the western United States and central and western Australia. Due to its higher fire adaptability, it can be used as a barrier to fire. Even when dry, the wood of Tamarix is difficult to burn, due to the high ash content (30–40%) and higher salt content of its foliage. After a fire it usually regrows, unless the root-crown is destroyed.
Five-stamen tamarisk · Tamarisk · Smallflower tamarisk · Pink Tamarisk · Four Stamen Tamarisk · Tamarisk
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Tamarix aphylla by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
